Eugene

Those wheels are famous for doing that.

Those wheels are famous for doing that.

Be different, get the Swift and its proudly South African

It is the wheels that add the value. They could go for R2 500 or more on their own.

That is a 2006 model. The wheels add some value as the original was specced with Shimano WH550 wheels . At a push, about R6000. Unfortunately Ultegra 6600 and aluminum Raleighs have minimal resale value

Any hopes of a personal best are history. I agree many people are going to skip the 106km race as it is going to be tough

Cool..................I wish they would go back to the original Herald route. There are far too many hills on the detour route

Isn't Fuji SA Solomons in Pretoria?

Saw one at the bike shop. Looks like a piece of silicone tubing with a valve.

I've used normal car polish and it works quite well.

You might be able to pick up a 2012 Bianchi Sempre or Specialized Tarmac Comp for that price. The 2013 models are quite a bit more expensive. Also check out SA's own international brand, the Swift. www.swiftcarbon.com Not sure of the frame prices, but considering the price of a complete bike, the Swift Ultravox or Attack may come in at your budget

how did you end up with a 9 sp cassette with a10 speed shifters? Does it work?

Is it a mtb or road bike? Either way, a freewheel shouldn't wear out so quickly. Maybe with all the dirt of mtbing they could have an argument, but even so...........

The Titan 650b (27.5 inch wheels) range are hitting the shops first week in December. They have a model in your price range. 26 inch bikes are pretty much in their twilight years. Rather get the 650b. http://www.titanracingbikes.com/650brange.html

3 brands to look at.............Titan, Axis and Silverback. All offer quality bikes and good specs for your money. There has been a many posts of late regarding Silverback's after sales service. It seems they really go the extra mile. I would put them on the top of the list based on all the positve feedback mentioned here.. I disagree with the 2nd hand route. If you buy new, you will get a warranty, a proper sizing and a proper set up and there is nothing nicer than walking out of a shop with a new bike. Also, you have to know what you are doing when buying second hand. You have to know what to look out for. Beginers very seldom have that knolwledge. You say that you have no intention of competing...........wait till the bug bites?

Isn't Nino Schurto (however it's spelt) also sponsored by Scott? That would be a good combo.

Those small tins of model paint come in thousands of colours. I rekon you will get one that pretty darn close. I used one to airbrush over a large scratch on an old bike. You couldn't even tell is was scratched.

Just out of interest, is that the Tarmac Pro or the Tarmac Comp?

This just goes to show the level of Silverback service. Johan has taken the trouble to respond to everybody on this thread regarding Silverback. I have yet to see another manufacturer's representative respond to their customers on the Hub. It is this kind of service that attracts customers. Perhaps other manufacturers/importers can learn from this

I started to lose interest in Specialized of late because their graphic schemes just don't do it for me. But, this one is hot. It has restored my faith in Specialized to make a bike that looks good.

They don't seem to put any effort into making their bikes look good. i don't like them

If we refer to 650b, then we know that we are talking 27.5inch wheels. It can be equated to clipless pedals. We all refer to our pedals being clipless, but they actually have clips on them. Nobody complains because we know what we are talking about To quote an old cliche.........."whats in a name"

It used to be Revolution Cycles in Cape Town. If they no longer do it, I'm sure they would be able to point you in the right direction. They have a website, so just use Google.

What online shops are you looking at? Don't be fooled into thinking you will save big going online. Overseas shops look cheap, but once you've added VAT, duties and postage, they are actually more expensive. If the online shop is local, the price difference between them and your average bike shop are minimal. Rather pay the extra few bucks and get your bike from a local shop. At least you know it will be set up properly for you, the size will be right, your first service will be free and you will build a relationship between yourself and the shop. Any warranty claims will be handled properly (you won't have to post your bike back to wherever). PE prices aren't any different to the rest of SA. For R5 000, you should be looking at Axis, Titan and Silverback. All 3 will deliver the best bang for your buck If you want second hand, have you tried Recycle Sports in Charlo? Mark is really helpful and he has quite a range of second hand stuff.

Medium is a medium is a medium...........although, sizes do tend to vary from manufacturer to manufacturer. A 29er has bigger wheels, not bigger frames (except to accomodate the larger wheels)